I Hear America Singing By Walt Whitman

Summary: I Hear America Singing by Whitman talks about each of the worker class in America and the sounds they make.

Section One:

  • Whitman says he hears America singing different songs
  • Whitman mentions the following as singing:
    • Mechanics are cheerful
    • Carpenters while measuring
    • Mason getting ready for work or leaving work
    • Boatman and deckhand singing the boat songs
    • Shoemaker while he sits on his bench , Hatter as he stands
    • wood-cutter , ploughboy on his way at anytime
    • Song of the mother, young wife at work, or girl sewing and washing
  • Each of the people sing songs that belong to him/her and no one else
  • At night young men sing loud "melodious" songs

Other Notes:

  • All of the workers mentioned are that of the labor class, they do manual labor not desk work
  • Most likely they all "sing" because the work they do causes some sort of sound
  • The young men that are partying in the night are the only ones that are not working sounds, however it is probable that they are the workers from earlier in the day

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